A methodology for locating potential aquifers in a typical semi-arid region in India using resistivity and hydrogeologic parameters

Abstract

A typical khondalitic terrain covering an area of 450 km² in Chipurupalli taluk of the Vizianagaram District, Andhra Pradesh, India, has been chosen for well planned and systematic investigations for locating potential aquifers in a typical semi-arid region. A methodology has been developed by assigning numerical weights and ratings to hydrogeological and geophysical parameters depending upon their physical and electrical characteristics which led to proposing a groundwater potential index (gwpi). The efficiency of the method is shown by the improvement in the success rate from 64 to 80%. The proposed methodology further serves to identify the relative groundwater potential of different locations within similar hydrogeologic settings.